Who is eligible for Selfhelp Nazi Victim Services?
Does Selfhelp charge for services provided to survivors through its program?
If I get restitution or settlement money, will it affect my eligibility for SSI or Medicaid?
Do I need a lawyer in order to apply for the different funds that are available for survivors?
What is the Claims Conference?

Who is eligible for Selfhelp Nazi Victim Services?

Selfhelp serves victims of Nazi persecution who live in Manhattan, Washington Heights, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Nassau County. They are eligible if they directly suffered persecution by the Nazi regime. They must have resided in a country at the time it was under occupation by the Nazis. For example, they must have been in Germany in 1933 when Hitler came to power. If they fled Germany and came to the United States, they qualify because they fled due to Nazi persecution. If you are not sure about an individual's status as a Nazi victim call us at 212-971-5475 or feel free to email us and we will contact you

Does Selfhelp charge for services provided to survivors through its program?

There are no fees for social work services. Some services, such as home care, have fees, which are often on a sliding scale and vary from person to person based on financial situation.

If I get restitution or settlement money, will it affect my eligibility for SSI, Medicaid, or other government benefits?

In general, restitution and/or settlement payments, based on one’s status as victim of Nazi persecution, are exempt when calculating financial eligibility for government benefits. This applies to income and assets, depending on circumstances. For specific situations, call us at 212-971-5475 or feel free to email us and we will contact you

Do I need a lawyer in order to apply for the different funds that are available for survivors?

There are numerous funds from different countries that have become available in recent years. Some application deadlines have passed and the criteria vary from one fund to another. Most did not require an attorney to complete the applications. Call us at 212-971-5475 and a social worker can discuss the best options depending on the specific fund and the individual circumstances. Or, feel free to email us and we will contact you.

What is the Claims Conference?

The Claims Conference is the short name used to describe The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. It is an organization that has been dedicated to securing a small measure of justice for Jewish victims of Nazi persecution. It has pursued this goal since 1951 through a combination of negotiations, disbursing funds to individuals and organizations, and seeking the return of Jewish property lost during the Holocaust.